New York Rangers’ trade deadline targets: Winnipeg Jets

The New York Rangers are gearing up for a fire sale at the deadline. With the goal of building up a new prospect pool, the Rangers should dip into Winnipeg’s surplus.

The New York Rangers time as a perennial contender is coming to an end. As this core is proving to be a less than adequate contender, upper management is searching for a way to rebuild from the ground up. This will culminate in a large sell at the trade deadline.

The best way for the Rangers to accomplish this goal is by obtaining draft picks and prospects to restock the system. This will allow them to construct a new “core” to build around. Right now, the Rangers prospect pool is shallow and is bear much high-end talent outside of Lias Andersson and Filip Chytil.

On the flip side, the Winnipeg Jets are beginning to emerge as a potential playoff contender. On top of this, they also have a strong prospect pool. As a team that may be considered “buyers” this year, they can afford to trade some of those prospects to address areas of weakness.

With that said, let’s explore some of the Rangers options should they decide to phone Winnipeg.

Forwards

The Jets have a glut of strong forward prospects, some of which will see their time with Winnipeg come to a close this Spring. With the Rangers lacking young, strong scoring forwards outside of Buchnevich, Zibanejad, and Chytil, this could be an opportune investment for them.

Ideally, Kyle Connor would be a smart target for the Rangers. A former first-round pick, Connor is an extremely skilled scoring winger. This year, Connor has spent most of his time in the NHL, scoring 17 goals and 32 points in 46 games. However, he would be hard to acquire without parting with Ryan McDonagh, most likely.

Some more easily obtainable forward prospects include center Jack Roslovic, who has been dominant in his second AHL season. As a right-handed center with good scoring and playmaking skills, he would suit the Rangers needs quite well and has a promising career ahead of him. Current first-round prospect Kristian Vesalainen is also of interest, having a splendid season in Finland’s elite league.

Another, more surprising player of interest is Manitoba forward Mason Appleton. Appleton currently leads the Moose in scoring with 42 points in 44 games. The 22-year-old is in his debut AHL season and could be obtained at a somewhat lower cost as he is already older than most AHL rookies.

Defensemen

Winnipeg’s prospect pool is weaker in terms of defensemen, but they still have some players of interest. One that is generating such interest is Finnish defenseman Sami Niku. A seventh-round pick, Niku is far exceeding expectations. He has eight goals and 28 points in 44 games as an AHL rookie.

Current NHLer Josh Morrissey is a target of interest as well. Though the former first-rounder has yet to realize his high potential, he has still been a solid player for Winnipeg. He currently has five goals and 19 points in 52 games for the Jets.

Some players not currently in the NHL may also be of interest to the Rangers. First rounder Logan Stanley is a tall, strong, defensive defenseman having a breakout year in the OHL. Currently in the SHL, Swedish defenseman Jacob Cederholm can likely be had for a low cost. While his development has not gone as expected, he does have a decent ceiling.

The Costs

As previously mentioned, the cost of acquisition varies by player. The Rangers will likely be looking to move, in order of value: Ryan McDonagh, Mats Zuccarello, Rick Nash, J.T. Miller, Michael Grabner and Kevin Hayes, among others.

Former first-rounders may require more in a deal, especially guys like Connor and Morrissey who are already in the NHL. While deals like this may be hard to make, popularity should not keep them from doing so. High-end players require a high-end return as well.

Lower end returns cannot be ignored either. If a player can be obtained at low cost, do so. Acquiring as much as possible increases their chances of building a strong core. Also, strange things have happened; if Alex Burrows can fetch Jonathan Dahlen, or Adam Larsson can get Taylor Hall, the Rangers must start low and see what they can get.

Next: 5 important personnel decisions that must be made by 18-19

In the end, this sale will be about building a new core. All fan favoritism has to be ignored for the sake of long-term team success. Where this will take us, nobody knows at present. However, it is time to begin exploring options, and Winnipeg would be a smart place to start.